New book details Chinese spy effort ahead of Olympics

[Flashermac]

As athletes train for the summer Olympics in China, a new book claims that the country's vast spy network is gearing up for a different challenge - keeping an eye on journalists and potential troublemakers.

 

French writer Roger Faligot, author of some 40 intelligence-related books, has penned 'The Chinese Secret Services from Mao to the Olympic Games', due out February 29.

 

His findings claim that special teams are being formed at the country's embassies abroad "to identify sports journalists ... and to define if they have an 'antagonistic' or 'friendly' attitude in regards to China."

 

Potential foreign spies who may seek to enter China by posing as journalists or visitors will be subject to special surveillance.

 

The same goes for human rights activists who could use the event to demonstrate in favour of causes such as Tibet, where China has violently crushed protests against its rule, it says.

 

That's not to mention the long list of other issues preoccupying Chinese authorities, including the possibility of an Al-Qaeda attack and protests from the Falun Gong spiritual movement. China has outlawed Falun Gong, which combines meditation with Buddhist-inspired teachings.

 

"The watchword for the Chinese is 'no problems at the Olympics,'" Faligot says.

 

Faligot, who is fluent in Mandarin, says he spoke with numerous Chinese officials.

 

 

According to him, two million Chinese work directly or indirectly for the intelligence services through the state security agency.

 

In a chapter titled 'China: Gold Medal for Espionage', the author says the director of the group coordinating Olympic security, Qiang Wei, has a 1.3-billion-dollar (885-million-euro) budget.

 

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